Confessions of a second-time mum

Feeling outnumbered

Aside from the emotional upheaval, the practicalities of looking after two children also took some getting used to. I was terrified about how I would manage on my own when my husband returned to work after his paternity leave. I was outnumbered! How would I get both children out of the house? What would I do with Rosa if Bruno needed emergency breastfeeding in the park?

Somehow I muddled through those early weeks, and although they were tiring, my confidence gradually started to build and I found that hanging out with my sweet little gang of two could actually be fun.

It took me a while to work out the best method for transporting two children. I've tried every different combination: toddler in a stroller/baby in a sling; baby in a pram/toddler on buggy board, and of course, a double buggy. Our tiny hallway looks like a buggy junkyard. I have found myself using the double buggy most often. Getting both children ready to leave the house is a classically stressful moment. If I have to leave the house in a rush, I put Rosa in the front seat with a beaker of milk and a biscuit to appease her while I get Bruno wrapped up. In fact, biscuit bribes have become a crucial way of getting Rosa's cooperation.

Television has also entered Rosa's life in a big way. Before Bruno was born, I was proud of the fact that Rosa never watched television. Now it has become a daily tool to buy some time when Bruno is crying.

As a more experienced mother-of-four told me: 'You just have to relax when you have more than one child. It might feel like you're letting standards slip, but you're not. It's a part of life. Being a great mum is not about trying to be an unrealistically perfect domestic goddess.'

And she's right. The TV might be on more and the house might be a lot messier, but I'm beginning to feel I can cope with the chaos, and even enjoy the daily muddle of family life. And nothing beats that moment when your toddler manages to make your baby laugh for the first time, and they have their first giggling moment together in the bath.

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